THE Sydney Royal interbreed supreme winning ewe has done it again, taking out supreme Poll Dorset exhibit of the NSW State Sheep Show at Dubbo for the Gilmore family of Tattykeel stud, Oberon.
Tattykeel 180016 was the grand champion ewe, sired by Jackpot, that continued her show success under judge Esther Glasgow of Estjam Poll Dorsets, Victoria, going a step further in the breed judging to defeat stall mate Tattykeel 180232, the grand champion ram.
In an extremely hard decision, Ms Glasgow said she put the ewe up because of the extra smoothness throughout she offered.
"She is probably a little more smooth throughout, but the ram was a standout in his class and coming through the championship," she said.
Described as a ewe with incredible width with a great hindquarter and good wool, something Ms Glasgow considers.
"She is a good Dorset type that will continue to do well and produce throughout her life," she said.
Tattykeel's James Gilmore said interestingly the supreme ewe this year was a maternal sibling to the supreme ewe of the 2018 event.
"She is a out of the same ewe as the supreme ewe of 2018, Tattykeel 150009 who goes back to Immortal who was also the supreme exhibit at Dubbo in 2014, we just swapped the rams," Mr Gilmore said.
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The grand champion ram in Tattykeel 180232 was from Tattykeel 150048 and was sired by Tattykeel Casino who went back to Immortal.
Mr Gilmore said the ram's sire, Casino, was a half brother to Blackjack who is the Australian record holding Poll Dorset ram that sold for $35,000 to Ridgehaven Poll Dorset stud, Cudal.
During the champion ram line up, Ms Glasgow credited the breeders for presenting such a quality line of sheep despite the conditions being faced.
The ram selected for champion caught her eye when he came out in the shorn pair of rams under 1.5 years, with his exceptional muscle.
"He has width across the loin, smooth shoulders and he is overall a very hard sheep to fault," Mr Glasgow said.
Coming out of the pair of ewes under 1.5 years class, it was no surprise that 180016's pair mate and full embryo transfer sibling, Tattykeel 180009, was awarded reserve champion ewe of the show.
Mr Gilmore said the two champion ewes will go into an embryo program in November, while the ram will be retained in the stud, at this stage.
Reserve champion ram went to Tattykeel 180836 who came out of the pair of rams born after 1 August 2018.
The evenness of the Tattykeel sheep was evident when in the groups, the grand champion ram, grand champion ewe and reserve champion ewe all paired up to win the group of one ram, two ewes class for the Gilmores who also were first place in the group of three rams under 1.5 years.
Commenting on the group of one ewe, two rams, Ms Glasgow said the team from Tattykeel has the style and Poll Dorset characteristics she was after.
"They have the style, thickness and Poll Dorset type I am after," she said. "The ewes are extremely even, and very hard to split, and that is what I like to see in my groups - strength in the ewes, as well as the ram."
This winning breeder's group went on to be the supreme champion interbreed group.
The group of three rams were again said to be even and consistent by Ms Glasgow, who said "they are the type we are after in the industry."
Tattykeel rounded up a good show in the Poll Dorset section taking out most successful exhibitor.
- Read the full report from the Poll Dorset judging, and other breeds, at the NSW State Sheep Show in the June 6 issue of The Land.